PEACE RIVER — A new report says odours caused by oilsands processing in northwestern Alberta should be eliminated as much as possible because they could cause health problems.

The report released Monday from the Alberta Energy Regulator follows hearings into complaints from people near Peace River who say Baytex Energy Corp.’s operations are creating powerful gassy smells.

The report said steps must be taken to eliminate gas venting, reduce flaring and conserve all produced gas where feasible.

“The Panel’s main finding in this section is that odours from heavy oil operations in the Peace River area have the potential to cause some of the symptoms experienced by residents; therefore, these odours should be eliminated,” the report says.

“The Panel recommends that further study be conducted to examine linkages between odours and emissions and health effects.”